Chapter 54

054. Beinoff Symphony (1)

······Jang Oslo remembers Han Seoho's previous performance on stage. And he remembers it very vividly.

It was part of his musical talent.

He could recall in great detail any performance, whether it was from a few days ago or a few years ago.

And, because of this, he could clearly determine that the boy's skills had improved, even if only slightly.

Improving to a noticeable degree in just a few days is by no means an easy feat.

If that were the case, no one would find practice tedious.

Indeed, a remarkable talent.

“······.”

But what he focuses on is not just talent. He and his students have talent of that level.

He is fascinated by something that surpasses talent... or rather, something that runs on a different track from talent.

A sentiment that even he, in the end, could not fully express. The boy's performance evokes a deeper emotion than that of his teacher.

Clearly, his teacher had once said to him, who coveted such sentiment:

People come from different backgrounds and eras. Therefore, there are emotions that can never be replicated.

In the end, Jang received the evaluation that he had surpassed his teacher, but he could never match the unique sentiment of his teacher.

Swish.

He brushes back his falling hair.

The moisture he feels at his fingertips makes him smile wryly. The boy's performance, which so clearly embodies an emotion he could never replicate.

-.

To Jang, Han Seoho, who has entrusted himself to the violin, is undoubtedly looking back.

Not literally, but musically, it seems that way.

He is evoking a sentiment older than his teacher.

‘What is he thinking about while performing?’

······It’s quite ironic.

The performer is merely looking back at the past,

while the music is constantly moving forward.

#

With the gala concert also concluded, the Tchaikovsky Competition has come to a complete end.

What remains for me are two trophies and 46 million won in prize money (1st place: 26 million won + 2nd place: 20 million won), as well as countless inspirations and the pride of having inspired others...

‘More than I expected, isn’t it?’

I chuckled and scratched my head.

I feel a bit embarrassed for not wanting to participate in the competition.

As I was thinking this, the words I wanted to say popped out to the group ahead of me.

“I had a great time.”

His leopard-patterned suitcase, which he was pulling, caught my eye.

Yang Jaho, the representative of SJ Cultural Foundation.

His gaze, which used to look at me like a thief, is now gentle.

“Do you need anything else?”

I shook my head.

“Since you’ve booked me a hotel suite, I’d be a real thief if I asked for more.”

“You were a thief originally. The Steinway I sent you is still empty.”

“I should fill it with something else. They say a new model is out.”

“I’m already trying to persuade the chairman.”

Yang, who had been grinning, continued with a serious expression.

“Still, I’ve learned a lot from you. Instruments truly shine when they are played. I’ve heard this countless times, but it only truly resonated with me this time. The Guarneri shone in your hands.”

Yang, who finished speaking, turned his head with a deep smile.

“······Did you hear that?”

“Huh?”

Choi Sung-ryeong, the reporter who had been watching, asked in confusion.

“It would be great if you could slip this scene into your article.”

“Ah······.”

I let out a wry smile, and he, feeling guilty, added:

“No, it’s fine. I’m the representative of SJ Cultural Foundation, after all. I need to promote whenever I can. Of course, everything I said was sincere.”

I nodded with a smile as he emphasized his sincerity.

In the meantime, we arrived at the departure gate.

“Anyway, I’m off. Thanks for coming this far. See you in Korea.”

“Yeah, see you in Korea.”

He waved and entered the gate with the staff.

Once he was completely out of sight, Choi Sung-ryeong said:

“······What a remarkable person.”

“I have a few of those around me.”

···Just like in my previous life.

As I turned, Choi Sung-ryeong asked:

“Ugh, I have to go to work soon~. What about you? Are you going to take a few days off and then join the Beinoff Symphony?”

“Can I even take a break? I’m getting a lot of interview requests through my father.”

“You don’t have to do everything.”

“Except with you?”

“Haha, that would be great~.”

With a mischievous smile, I laughed and shrugged.

“I plan to do some interviews with specialized music media. There are also some company matters, and I enjoy talking about music.”

“Tsk. The musician I knew is now too famous.”

“Whose fault is that?”

“Your participation in the competition?”

I was about to say it was because of the article, but my words were cut off.

Choi Sung-ryeong, checking the departure time of his flight on the screen, added:

“I just recognized a talented genius?”

“You were quite capable. You were good at hiding it.”

With a playful retort, Choi Sung-ryeong laughed heartily. Then, he suddenly opened his mouth, as if something had just occurred to him.

“Ah, I remember.”

“Huh? What suddenly?”

“I had a similar thought before. I was glad I recognized a genius.”

“Haha···.”

“There was a name I couldn’t recall at the time, but it just came to me.”

“A name?”

“Yeah. Schubert, right? The one who composed ‘The Erlking.’ Among his patrons was a rather famous count. You probably don’t know him, but he was a well-known patron.”

“······.”

I waited silently, and Choi Sung-ryeong added:

“Probably... Briner. Friedrich Briner, I think.”

#

[Friedrich Briner]

I searched the name and scrolled down after a moment.

[He is recorded as one of the nobles who sponsored Schubert. He was the owner of Friedrich Castle in Baden-Baden, Germany, and supported musicians throughout his life with the wealth he earned from fertile land. Although there is no documentary evidence that he sponsored many other musicians besides Schubert, some letters remain...]

I had read this content several times already.

Yet, it still feels strange, just like the first time I searched for it.

While Wolfgang’s music inspired and was remembered by others, my name was passed down through letters...

“Huh? That photo...”

At that moment, my mother, who was passing by with a cup of coffee, stopped.

On my screen, an image of the castle in Baden-Baden appeared.

“Didn’t we go there?”

I nodded.

“Yeah. I thought I might want to go back.”

“It was fun back then. You should go again sometime. They say you see different things when you visit the same place again.”

I chuckled at my mother, who spoke about Germany as if it were next door. She had loved traveling so much that she had been to Europe several times when she was young.

After getting married, she went on her first overseas trip after 12 years...

‘Father deserved to be scolded.’

It’s been six years, but the memory is still vivid. It was a trip that couldn’t be forgotten. A trip of... regression... of my previous life...

In the meantime, my mother, getting more excited, said:

“You also became friends with the violinist who shared the second place, and you could visit France on the way... It would be great to go backpacking after graduation.”

I smiled at my mother and looked back at the castle on the screen.

“···Yeah. That would be great.”

#

Meanwhile, on the plane heading to Paris.

Leo Dubochel looked relaxed at first glance, but he was subtly paying attention to his side.

Jang Oslo, with his prominent nose, sat straight with his eyes closed.

After glancing at his teacher a few times, Leo finally asked when Jang subtly opened his eyes.

“······Are you disappointed?”

Instead, he received a question in return.

“Are you disappointed?”

Leo thought for a moment. But he decided to be honest.

“No.”

“Neither am I.”

Jang slowly nodded.

Then, he brought up a slightly heavier topic.

“But, the people you will meet in France from now on will be different. Some will applaud you for the second place, but others will surely react with disappointment, saying that you’re just a commoner despite winning the top three in the major competitions. Especially some journalists will only look for what they want to see, seeking sensationalism.”

“Yes...”

Leo, who seemed slightly dejected, was told firmly:

“Don’t be intimidated. There’s no reason to be.”

Jang, with a sharp face, smiled gently.

“You have definitely grown through the competition.”

······When they got off the plane, reporters were waiting.

There was a way to leave through the VIP passage, but Jang said there was no reason to hide and walked out of the gate with Leo.

As Leo was overwhelmed by the barrage of questions, Jang Oslo stepped in.

“Can I answer some questions now?”

The reporters had no reason to refuse.

Instead, they started adding more sensitive questions.

“What did you think of Han Seoho, whom you saw in person?”

“···He was an excellent performer.”

“Han Seoho is being called the ‘Second Mozart.’ What do you think about that?”

“···If he’s the one who handles both piano and violin well, I think it’s a fitting nickname.”

“Then, does that make Leo the ‘Second Salieri’?”

A reporter, who had asked if a second-place finish in a major competition with no prior record was essentially a defeat, was being extremely rude, almost to the point of mockery.

Some reporters burst out laughing.

“No. Leo is...”

But Jang answered with a calm face, like ripples in the middle of a lake.

“He will be the first Dubochel.”

#

“It’s fine.”

As Kim Sejin was unpacking in Korea, a man approached him.

Kim Sejin’s father, a pianist who was not very famous in the past.

“Let’s regroup and work hard again. Is that okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Kim Sejin answered while organizing his sheet music.

His father, standing beside him, continued:

“That’s right. There’s no need to be disheartened. After all, the Tchaikovsky Competition was just practice.”

“···Father, I’m fine.”

“Yes! You should be fine. From now on, we’ll skip the minor competitions and focus only on the Chopin Competition... You just need to win there. Then the media’s attention will return to you. And, we need to find a new teacher. It doesn’t seem to be a good fit. And also...”

Seeing his father, who was speaking with a fierce look, Kim Sejin muttered:

“······Father, you’re the one who’s not fine.”

“What?”

“I’m done being locked in a room to practice. I plan to experience as many competitions as possible.”

“The world only recognizes famous competitions. Winning at lesser-known ones has no meaning...”

“I’ll find the meaning.”

Kim Sejin said firmly.

It was the first time he had defied his father, but he felt it was necessary.

Practice is not everything.

Now, he needs to go out and experience and feel.

There will be something to learn from the entire process.

······That’s what he learned from this Tchaikovsky Competition.

#

When I went down to the hotel lobby, I saw Im Jin-gyu waving.

“Are you resting well?”

“Yes, but what’s up all of a sudden?”

“I heard you were alone, so I thought we could have dinner and talk. Where are your parents?”

“My father is returning to Korea tomorrow, so he went on a date with my mother. I slipped away discreetly.”

“You’re a smart kid.”

Im Jin-gyu chuckled and headed to his car.

As I sat in the passenger seat, he slowly drove and asked:

“Your father must be very proud of you now that you’ve won, right?”

“Hmm······ No?”

“Huh?”

Confused, I smiled and answered:

“He’s always been proud of me, regardless of the outcome.”

Even before I won. No, even before I regressed, my father had always been proud of me.

He told me he was proud of me when I went to take the college entrance exam, when I failed, when I passed, when I got a job, and when I succeeded.

That’s why I know. My father’s pride was unconditional.

“Indeed, he’s amazing.”

Im Jin-gyu laughed, saying he wanted to be a father like that.

In the meantime, we arrived at a restaurant he often visits.

After ordering food, he took a sip of water and said to me:

“I also got a call looking for you.”

“From the reporters?”

“No, Steinway.”

···Huh?

The unexpected name made me tilt my head.

“A piano brand?”

“Yes, that Steinway.”

“Why would they contact me?”

Im Jin-gyu shrugged and answered:

“To congratulate you?”

“Huh?”

“Haha. Of course, that’s not all. Usually, when they contact a competition winner, it’s definitely...”

Im Jin-gyu, who had a playful expression, added:

“They probably want to appoint you as a ‘Steinway Artist.’”